This race celebrated it's 35th anniversary in 2017. It is run by the Essex Running Club, so by area runners. Volunteers are plentiful throughout the course and it is very well organized.

The starting line is pretty cool as the Verona Fire Department has a truck at the start and they extend one of the truck ladders across and hang the start sign on it. Lots of spectators at the start too which is nice.

You start out by running on a flat road. You then make a right and have a very steep and long hill to conquer. I knew the area so it wasn't a surprise at all. It's a tough hill, but you'll love yourself when you get to the top. Then it's a right onto another flat road when you basically run to the end but have to do a turn around a cone in the middle of the road to run back. One of the race volunteers stands at the cone giving high fives to the runners as they go around it. I love stuff like that.

The good part is, on the way back you're running the same course so you get to go down that steep hill. It's then a left turn back to the main road and past the starting line. You turn right onto Bloomfield Avenue and up another hill until you turn right into Verona Park. The portion in Verona Park was longer than I thought in my mind. It's flat so you can pick up some speed. People cheer you on as you get closer.

It's a nice course. People cheer you on throughout this course which is really cool for a 5K. Plenty of water, bagels, and bananas are available after the race. The bagels are probably the best in NJ. Outstanding.

They also have a 1 mile fun run in the park that a lot of kids run. It was the first race my daughter and her friend ran. I joined them. It is run prior to the 5K.

I would highly recommend this 5K to others.